On their third offensive series, Spencer Pulley replaced D.J. Fluker at right guard. The switch is something the team has done off and on this year, the move allowing — among other things — their undrafted rookie to gain experience.

They soon wouldn’t need to try so hard.

Injuries were coming.

“It was crazy,” Pulley said. “Just like a carousel.”

On a day in which left tackle King Dunlap (knee) was inactive, the team lost two more O-line starters during a 20-17 loss to the Browns. Center Matt Slauson (foot) exited in the second quarter. Left guard Orlando Franklin received medical attention on multiple occasions before a shoulder injury sidelined him for good.

“It went good but obviously not good enough,” Pulley said. “I worked primarily at center all throughout the offseason and camp. I worked there a little bit in recent weeks of practice. It went all right. It took me a second to get back in the groove, ... but I know you’ve got to be ready to play any of those inside three (positions).”

There were times in which quarterback Philip Rivers could scan the field. Certainly, pressure was not an issue on an underthrown interception intended for Antonio Gates in the second quarter.

It was a factor, however, at different points, as the Browns unveiled two to three blitz packages they hadn’t shown before on film, one player said.

Rivers was not sacked once, although he was flagged for intentional grounding when avoiding a first-quarter rush.

One away

Antonio Gates is closing in.

The Chargers tight end recorded his 110th career touchdown Saturday, it coming on a 1-yard pass in the team’s opening possession. His next score would tie him with Tony Gonzalez for the most all-time by a tight end in NFL history.

Gates made an impact to begin the game.

Arguably, he finished it stronger.

He caught a 25-yard pass on fourth-and-10 and then an 11-yard pass on the Chargers’ final drive of the game, helping set up a 45-yard Josh Lambo field-goal attempt. Lambo missed right as regulation expired.

Gates finished with eight catches on 13 targets for 94 yards.

All were team highs.

Sack party

Certainly, the individual performance must have resembled what he had in mind.

The Chargers defensive end continued his stalwart rookie season, as he totaled two of the team’s nine sacks, eight of which came on Robert Griffin before he exited with a fourth-quarter concussion. The nine sacks were the Chargers’ third-most in franchise history and most since recording 11 versus the Jets in 2012.

Nose tackle Damion Square had half a sack in his first 25 career games.

The Ohio State product leads the team despite having missed the first four games with a hamstring injury. He’ll turn 22 in July.

Notable

The Browns converted four of their first five third-down attempts with a fourth-down conversion following the only failed one. They scored 17 points on their first three possessions. Before Saturday, the team hadn’t scored multiple touchdowns in six straight games. Its first two drives went for touchdowns.

Punter Drew Kaser, an Ohio native, had a strong game in his local stadium. His coverage units helped his effort. He averaged 50.2 yards of five punts with a 46.4 net average. One was downed inside the 20. There were no touchbacks.

Despite the sacks, the Chargers did not record a takeaway. So ended their 20-game streak of forcing at least one turnover. It was the longest in the NFL. San Diego entered Saturday as the only team to have forced a turnover in every game this season.

The Chargers have scored a touchdown on their opening drive in nine of 15 games. That leads the NFL. Rivers is 39-of-47 for 583 yards and six touchdowns without an interception on game-opening drives.

Inside linebacker Denzel Perryman was carted from the sideline to the locker room with what was diagnosed Saturday as a knee sprain, a source said. He is scheduled to undergo an MRI. Perryman was able to walk in the locker room post-game under his own power.

Rivers reached 4,000 yards in a season for the eighth time in his career. That ranks fourth-most in NFL history.